Top Ten Tips For Parents

My philosophy on children: treat little people with respect for their feelings, likes, dislikes and personalities .

As a mother of nine kids, people often ask me, “How on earth did you manage without any help? “

1.Focus on the joy of parenting, not on everything we are giving up to raise a family

2.Mothers, remember, we have one of the most important jobs in the world because we forming the next generation

3.Accidents and plans fall apart every day, so laugh because laughter cuts through anxiety, anger and frustration, bringing us back to reality

4. Praise works; berating usually backfires. Give good behaviour lots of attention because children WANT our attention and will do anything to get it.

5. No need to run around like crazy people, putting our children in every single program. Free time, allows the imagination to surface .

6. Listen to the baby. Read his expressions and body language. In fact become a baby whisper and life will be much calmer.Babies are not idiots or dolls.

7.House work comes second; the happiness and welfare of your family comes first. Don’t fight everyone trying to run a perfect home. It is okay to leave a blanket fort or block tower up overnight, when I know they will play all morning with it.

8..Let children learn to do things on their own, like dressing or feeding themselves even if they look a little odd. Their pride will shine brighter than our need to look like a perfect mum.

9. Put our kids needs first . When I ignored their limits of endurance, I created either a clingy shadow or a screaming monster.

About the Writer

My husband and I raised 9 children on a hobby farm and discovered fulfilment and joy.The very existence of a joyful mother of nine children seems to confound people. My writing is humourous and heart warming/ thoughtful and thought provoking with a strong current of spirituality running through it.